Can key turning device



Aug 13, 1957 c. D. THOMPSON GAN KEY TURNING DEVICE Filed 001'.. 20, 1955 A IN VEN TOR.

Char/es D. T/ro BY United States Patent i 2,802,594 CAN KEY TURNING Dnvrcn Charles D. Thompson, Andover, `Mass., assignor to Merrimade, Inc., Lawrence, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application october zo, 195s, serial No. 387,096

1o claims. (ci. zzo-sz) This invention relates `to apparatus for removing a tear strip from an hermetically sealed can of the type much used in packaging coffee and other products. Such strips are usually formed by scoring a vpair of parallel lines around the side of a can, adjacent the flatl top thereof, and the top is usually inset to provide a rim around the end of the can. A tongue is usually provided forming a free terminaltip at the end of the tear strip, and usually a slotted key is soldered to the end of the can for use in removing the tear strip.

lates thereon and `tend to injure the fingers of the user by causing an indent in the same due to excess pressure.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new article of manufacture which can be made at extremely low cost, and which can be used to secure a better grip on such keys. Another objectof the invention is toprovide a device which can be clamped onto lthe head of such a key, can be used for turning the key more efficiently and can then be easily removed from the key to be usedon another can key.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which positions the head of a key at the correct initial height above the tear strip and above the can rim or edge and by means of its at lower edge retains the` proper spacing as the key is revolved thereby preventing eccentric accumulation of the tear strip on the key.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an article in which it is e'asy'to insert the head of a key, in which the head is tightly held and from which the head can be easily disengaged when the tear strip ofl al can has been removed.

A still further object of the inexpensive key clamp or holder,preferably made of only two pieces of sheet material, plus a hollow rivet, the clamp having integral stop means for Aregistering the plates, an integral finger abutment to aid in opening the clamp and spring pressure means Vfor clamping the head of the key in place therein. f

ln the drawing Fig. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention in use on atypical can;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing the device in open position;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 on line 4-4vof Fig. l and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l of a modification of the invention.

As shown in the drawing C is a typical, hermetically sealed can, having a tear strip S, the strip S having a free terminal end 21 which may be in the form of a tapered invention is to provide an Patented Aug. 13, 1957 ice tongue. Can C has a top end 22, which is Hat, as well as a peripheral rim 23 which usually deiinesa circle, but may assume other shapes such as oval or rectangular with curved corners.

A key` K, usually of bent wire, is ordinarily soldered to the central portion of the top or bottom end of can C, and is provided with a key head 24, key shank 25 and key slot 26 all in a well known manner. When a key such as K has heretofore been used to open a can such as C, the terminal end 21 of the tear strip S has been inserted in key slot 26 and the key head 24 has been spaced about a Vquarter of an inch above the rim `23 of the can. It has required considerable pressure between the thumb and foretinger of the user to start the severing of the tear strip and progressively greater `pressure to turn the key asthe spiralled turns of the tear strip Vaccumulated on the key shank 25 during the traverse around the can C. Oftentimes, the userhas been unable to keep'the spiral turns in overlying position and once the key shank has slipped out from beneath the same, it has proved extremely diicult to remove the remainder of the tear strip.`

As shown, this invention provides a separable key handle, key holder, or key clamp A for providingv increased leverage, an accurate turning guide and a comfortable grip in combination with a key such as K ora key of any similar shapev andtype. Key holder A includes a pair of elongated plates, preferably of sheet material such as pressed steel, one of which is Vcalled herein the cover plateor pivoted plate 27 and the other of which is called herein the body plate or recessed plate 28. The elongated plate 28 includes a substantially oval socket or recess 31 in the inner surface 29 thereof, for receiving the head portion 24 and the adjacent shank portion of a key K and the recess 31 is spaced at the correct distance above the flat, straight, lower edges 32 and 33 of plates 27 and 28 to cause said lower edges to ride on the rim 23 of can C when the device is turned.

The recess 31 is preferably annular with its outer perimeter 17 large enough to accommodate large sized key heads and its inner perimeter 18 small enough to accommodate the inside perimeter of the head of small sized keys such as 24. The oval or elliptical raised portion 19, within recess 31, thus tightly engages small keys and recess 31 itself tightly engages large keys. Pivot means 34 is provided at one end of plates 27 and 28` of key holder A for joining the same together, and permitting oscillation thereof in parallel planes. Pref` erably, pivot means 34 is a hollow tubularrivet or eyelet 35 having an opening 36 whereby the device may be hung on a nail when not vin use. Preferably, stop means 37 is alsov provided on at least one of the plates 27 or 28 to cause the plates to register with their outer edgesilush when the device is pivoted or oscillated to `a closed position.` Stop means 37 may be an integral tab 38 of U-shaped cross section formed in one of the plates and extending over the other plate, as best Shown in Fig. 3. Preferably also,` a finger abutment 40 is provided along part of the top edge 41 of aplate such as 27 to assist the user in opening the plates to detach or insert a key head 24.

Preferably, at least one of the plates of key holder A such as plate 27 is formed of inherently resilient material and the other plate 28 is provided with an integral tab l30 bent around the adjacent 4end of plate 27 to clamp the said ends together. Thus the pivot means 34 presses other pair of plate ends together while the central portion of plate 27 is spring pressed against key head 24 while the plates are closed. Keys made of wire of various diameters, within a limited range, may thus be held tightly in key holder A with plate 27 flexing to press them firmly into the recess 31 of plate 28.

Preferably the end edgesl, 72 and 73 and 74 of plates 27 and 28 are tapered, as shown, whereby the integral tab 30 not only serves as a clamping member, but also serves as a stop, forthe Vedge 72 of plate v2.7 in addition to.,/ or inplace of, stop means 37. Y 'A As shown in 1.F.ig. 5,*a `keyholder Brrnay be provided having a pair of plates 50 and 51, a'pivot 5 2, .and arecess 53 for the head of a keyK. j The finger abutment54 may b e more elongated than in key holder A, Aand `may be formed by yturning back an extension of the upper edge of plate 50 upon itself. The stop member 55 may also be centrally disposed and formed by turning back the lower edge ,ofplate 51 upon itself, thereby also clamping the lower edges of the plates 50 and 51 together. Stop memberSS thus supplements the clamping action and stopping action Vof lthe integral vtab 58 which is otherwise similar ltortab 300i thekey holder A. VAnopening 57 Vis provided `in stop nnernberd' to accommodate the shank of akeyK. I Y i It will be'apparent that various changes may be made in the construction ofthe invention described and illus-y trated herein without departing from the scope ofl the invention, `the formsherein being merely` preferred embodi-V ments thereof. (I, claim.: l Y

` i1. As an article of rnarn'lfactnreA a separable handlefor turning and 'guiding l.a can key with. relation to a tear strip type can, said handle comprisingpa substantially flat, elongated body plate of greater widthrand length than the width and length ofthe head portion of a `rcan key and having a straight, lower,rlongitudinal edge, vsaid body plate having a substantially oval socket formed intermediate of the width and length of one flat face thereof for receivingthehead and adjacent shank portion of a can key and positioning the .key with its shank projecting perpendicularly from an intermediate point along the lower edge of-said body and a substantially flat, elongated cover plate, pivoted at one yend to the adjacent end of said body plate-to turn in a plane parallel therewith and adapted to retain the head portion of a can key in said socket when said ycover plateV is turned co-extensive with, and iiatwise against, said plate body. 2. A combination as specified in claim l wherein the straight lower longitudinal edge of said .plate body is spaced a predetermined `distance from said socket for causing vsaid lower edge ,to be supported and guided on ,a can rim when a key, engagedrin. said socket, is engaged witha can tear strip.

3. Acombinationas specified in claim 1 wherein said substantially oval socket is annular with. a central raised portionhaving a face co-planar with the adjacentV flat farce ofthe plate body, the outer periphery of said annular socket tightly fitting around( the outerrperipheryV of large annular key heads and the inner periphery of said annular lsocket tightly fitting within the inner peripheryV of vsmall lannularkey heads.

4. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said plates are of resilient material and adapted to b e slightly liexed centrallyV of the length thereof proximate said socket for retaining the head portions of can keys of various thickness of material in said socket by inherent resiliency.

5. A combination as specified in claim 1 plus an integral U-shaped tab extending along an edge of one of said flat plates proximate the free end thereof, said tab being bent toward the other plate and then bent back uponv itself to receive and stop said other plate Vwhen said plates are co-extensive with each other. f

6. A separable handle for use in guiding and turning the key of sealed, sheet metal, food containers of the type having a tear strip parallelV to a rim thereof, said handle comprising an elongated flat body plate of greater area than the area of the head portion of a key and having a socket centrally disposed 'longitudinally in `the inside flat face thereof for receiving and retaining ythe `headand adjacent shank portion of a key flatwise vtherein with the shank of` the key projecting laterally therefrom; a flat cover plate substantially co-extensive with the area of said body plate and -pivoted thereto at one end thereof to swing in a plane parallel to the plane of said body plate, said cover plate having a flat inside face adapted to engage the lhead andadjacent shank portionofa key in said socketA and ,hold Ltlie same gtherein whenatwise thereagain'stand .anintegral `ll-shaped tabAon said body plateV extending intfo the .pivot path of the cover plate proximate the non pivoted end `of said cover plate to Vembrace and stop said plate in registration tw'ithathe body plate. Y. l

v 7. A combination as specied in` claim 6 wherein vsaid plates are :of resilient 'sheet metal and said tab forms a resilient U-shaped clamp with said body plate for `ref siliently Iclamping said. covergplate'in closed position.

8. A ,combination as specified in claim 6V wherein the lateral edges of said plates are tapered to converge downwardly and said U-shape'd integral tab is formed in the free lateral edge of Vone of said plates to receive and stop the free'la'teral edge of the other plate in registration.

l9. A can opener lfoi-"strip sealed Vcans comprising a cankey having .alooped head, a lsubstantially llat body plate of greater widthand length than said key vhead,'said body platey haviingkfa .centrally disposed socket therein, equal in depth to'gtlfie.,thickness of saidkey head, and arranged lto receive said key head with therkey shank projecting outwardly in -the planeiof said Vbody plate from centrally Yof the length thereof and a cover plate, pivoted to saidA body plate at -one end thereof, to swing parallel theretosaid cover plate being adapted to lock said key head in said socket when swung alongside said body plate.

,-10. A ,combination as specied in claim'9 wherein the opposite ends ofsaid body plate and said cover plate are tapered, said ,platessare of resilient material and a ylJ-.shaped tab extendsalong the tapered free end of one of said plates kfor embracing and stopping .the tapered free end of the other said Plate in closed position.

References Cited Yin the nie o f this intentl A 'UNITED' STATES YPATENTS 135,715 Lamb Feb. 1l, 1873 386,055. Bnzzell July 10, 1888 555,940 Y :Fellows Mar. 10, 1896 1,445,905 Neff Feb. l20, 1923 52,692,065 Bahler Oct.. 19, 1954 2,726,785 H "Muirhead Dec. 13 1955 s FOREIGN PATENTS 162,860 Y 1,921

Great Britain May 1,2, 

